Partnership for the Advancement & Immersion of Refugees (PAIR)

What Partnership for the Advancement & Immersion of Refugees (PAIR) does

Partnership for the Advancement & Immersion of Refugees (PAIR) is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 75-3239990) founded in 2007 at Rice University that delivers educational mentoring programs to refugee youth. Its mission is to equip refugee students to navigate American society, reach academic potential, and become community leaders. PAIR operates four core programs organized by educational stage — Global Learners (middle school), Global Leaders (9th–10th grade), Global Scholars (11th–12th grade), and Global Ambassadors (first-year college persistence) — plus seasonal Summer Programs covering STEAM, entrepreneurship, and college/career readiness.

PAIR delivers programming through an in-school and after-school model embedded in the Houston Independent School District, with named service sites at Paul Revere, Jane Long, and Louie Welch middle schools, Wisdom, Sharpstown, and Westside high schools, the Garden Community Center, and partner post-secondary sites at Houston Community College and the University of Houston. The organization serves approximately 500 students annually and delivers 7,500+ mentoring hours per year, with documented outcomes including $3M+ in scholarships awarded to seniors from 2016 to 2025. PAIR also produces signature community events including the annual Career Carnival, Winter Trivia Benefit, and Ride with Refugees, which double as fundraising and volunteer/employer engagement vehicles.

The organization's revenue model is entirely donation-based (individual giving, corporate sponsorships, in-kind contributions, foundation grants, and event ticket revenue priced at $15–$50 per ticket). PAIR is led by Executive Director Susie Ventura (appointed June 2025), a Director of Advancement, a Director of Programs, and a team of program managers and coordinators dedicated to each program tier, supported by an active Board of Directors. Operations are regional (Houston, Texas), and the organization holds a GuideStar Platinum Transparency Seal. PAIR uses AirTable for volunteer/event registration and Click and Pledge for donation processing, but has no proprietary technology platform and no disclosed AI capabilities.

Name

Partnership for the Advancement & Immersion of Refugees (PAIR)

Legal name

Partnership for the Advancement and Immersion of Refugees

Website

https://pairhouston.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Partnership for the Advancement & Immersion of Refugees (PAIR) is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2007 at Rice University, that delivers educational mentoring programs to approximately 500 refugee youth annually across middle school, high school, and first-year college stages through partnerships with the Houston Independent School District and local universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Educational Mentoring Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAI

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYEDAJAGAH

Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Special Programs (Gifted, ESL/ELL, Remedial, RTI/MTSS)

SECONDARYEDAKAAAJ

Special Education Resource Rooms & Pull-Out Programs

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Special Education Schools & Programs

Keywords

• Educational mentoring programs
• Refugee youth services
• College readiness support
• After-school programming
• Nonprofit education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: PAIR is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charity (EIN: 75-3239990) that generates revenue through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization accepts general donations, customized giving, corporate sponsorships, in-kind donations, and custom sponsorships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PAIR is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers educational mentoring programs for refugee youth from middle school through college completion. Its portfolio of four core programs (Global Learners, Global Leaders, Global Scholars, Global Ambassadors) plus Summer Programs provides English language support, academic tutoring, leadership development, college preparation, and career exploration to approximately 500 refugee students each year across Houston ISD campuses and partner colleges.

Product overview

PAIR operates as a four-distinct-program educational mentoring organization serving refugee youth in Houston. The core programs include Global Learners (middle school), Global Leaders (9th-10th grade), Global Scholars (11th-12th grade), and Global Ambassadors (college persistence), each providing tailored mentorship and support. Summer Programs offer additional enrichment for middle and high school students. All programs focus on equipping refugee youth to navigate American society, reach academic potential, and become community leaders through educational mentoring, English language support, career exploration, and higher education preparation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 500 refugee students served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Houston Independent School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAIR partners with Houston ISD to provide in-school and after-school programming for middle and high school students, offering a safe, supportive environment where refugee youth can learn English, build confidence, receive individualized academic support, and pursue their goals.
• Houston Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPost-secondary partner site for Global Ambassadors college persistence program, supporting refugee students in navigating campus life.
• The University of HoustoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPost-secondary partner site for Global Ambassadors college persistence program, supporting refugee students in navigating campus life.
• Paul Revere Middle SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiddle school site for Global Learners program serving refugee students.
• Jane Long Middle SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiddle school site for Global Learners program serving refugee students.
• Louie Welch Middle SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiddle school site for Global Learners program serving refugee students.
• Wisdom High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school site for Global Leaders and Global Scholars programs serving refugee students.
• Sharpstown High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school site for Global Leaders and Global Scholars programs serving refugee students.
• Westside High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school site for Global Leaders and Global Scholars programs serving refugee students.
• The Garden Community CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity center site for Global Learners middle school program.
• GuideStar/CandidminorOthersGuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency recognizing nonprofit transparency and accountability.
• St. Luke's United Methodist Church GethsemaneminorOthersChurch venue hosting the 4th Annual Career Carnival event at 6856 Bellaire Blvd.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Year Up: Workforce development program for young adults from underserved communities, providing training and corporate internship pathways. Overlaps with PAIR's college-to-career exploration focus for older youth.
• Bottom Line: College access and persistence nonprofit serving first-generation students from low-income backgrounds. Comparable in targeting college-completion outcomes through one-on-one mentoring.
• College Track: Multi-site college persistence program for underserved high school and college students. Operates a similar multi-year cohort model focused on college access and completion.
• uAspire: National nonprofit focused on college affordability and financial aid advising for low-income students. Closely comparable to PAIR's Global Scholars college-application and financial-aid support work.

Regional players

• Houston Community College - Refugee & Immigrant Services: HCC is an existing PAIR partner and runs its own refugee and immigrant student support services. Comparable in serving the same Houston-based refugee-youth population at the post-secondary level.
• Refugee Services of Texas: Texas-based refugee resettlement and support organization serving multiple cities including Houston. Closest geographic peer with overlapping refugee-youth and family-services mission.

Direct peers

• Upwardly Global: National nonprofit helping refugee and immigrant professionals integrate into the U.S. workforce through training and mentorship. Highly comparable model with a slightly older beneficiary segment.
• International Rescue Committee: Operates refugee resettlement and youth education programs nationally, including in Houston. Most directly comparable in mission and beneficiary population, though at much larger scale.
• HIAS: Jewish-founded refugee resettlement agency providing youth education, English language support, and integration services to refugees in multiple U.S. cities, with overlapping program structure to PAIR.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: Large national network providing refugee resettlement, ESL, and youth services through local affiliates including in Houston. Overlaps with PAIR's mission at much broader scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Partnership for the Advancement & Immersion of Refugees (PAIR)